I enjoy keeping current on island news. Over the years I have developed a strategy why by I can stay current as any local following a series of new feeds that come into my news reader every morning.

News on the island is very systemic. The news percolates via a network of locals and can be confirmed in print publications 24 to 48 hours later.

Sources of local news are Facebook, blogs, and best of all, bulletin boards where locals discuss rumors.

For example: Joe Biden is on the island right now. He plans to leave today. Joe is staying in Cotton Valley and a secret service command center has been set up at the Cotton Valley fire station. His staff often visits Ziggy Mart and wipes out the breakfast sandwiches. Ziggy Mart is an east end gas station with a kitchen.

More importantly, the huge pot holes to and from Cotton valley have been filled in. This is huge news. Like the eye of Jupiter, these potholes can be seen with the naked eye from space. Some pot holes are so big and infamous that local outline them in red and yellow paint to improve visibility (cheeseburgers). The potholes at the elementary school have been fixed too. People are grateful for this.

Further, it is rumored that Joe really likes the place and wants to buy it. You see Joe goes to St Croix when his boss goes to Hawaii. It is also rumored that Joe is on a hunt to find investors for the now shut down refinery one run by Hovensa. Exxon is the name that keep being thrown out.

Other news from my feeds are details of crimes, power outages, fires, store closings and openings, improvements, you name it.

People there talk, and I love following the news. Mix in about 70 island Facebook friends ,and I can confirm or deny most any rumor 1600 miles away.